No way back
by Katinka the Brave
Summary: NWZ- Diego gets an ultimatum and is forced to act like a man. How will he be able to protect his secret and live in peace again? Help comes from unexpected directions.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Zorro Productions. This is not intended to infringe upon any rights by Goodman/ Rosen Productions/ New world Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of John McCullay or anyone else. It is just to entertain other fans.  
>Thanks to my good American friend Nancy and Sandy from Alaska for editing and giving feed back on my story, I started writing years ago. I hope you will enjoy it as much as you did with my other story.<em>

~Z~

Part 1

Don Alejandro had locked himself up in his office at the hacienda, where there was no room for interference. He had received several letters today and he was anxious to see what these messages contained. It didn't last long for him to see what all the letters were about, whereas the writers came straight to the point. All letters held the reactions on the invitations for his fiftieth birthday he had sent several months ago and witch that knowledge content smile grew on face, when he read the fifth positive reaction and that the writer of the letter had accepted the invitation. Don Alejandro was really looking forward to having so many people at his hacienda.

"Si, this will be a day to remember." With a very large smile he added another family to the guest list. Now ten families from outside California were already on their way to stay at the hacienda or in the neighbourhood to make sure they would be present at his birthday.

Meanwhile Diego was chatting with Victoria about the same subject.  
>"I understood my father is expecting a lot of guests. He has been corresponding over a year by now, to make sure everybody will be able to make it."<br>"Why Diego, it is a special day for your father," Victoria's voice was like music to his ears.

Diego smiled brightly. He really thought his father deserved such a big party, but there was something bothering him.  
>"This really is a big day, but … eh … Victoria," Diego sounded a bit concerned now, "If I am counting correctly, that is, if everybody who is invited really comes over to us, I think our house will be too small."<p>

"Too small?" Victoria repeated with a raised eyebrow. "How could that be?" She smiled sweetly at him, making his heart melt right away.

"Uh well, I am afraid we won't have enough rooms in the guest quarters for the overnight guests." With a wry grin he added jokingly, "I am thinking about sleeping in Felipe's room or even the stables, if necessary."

Victoria couldn't hide a smile, she even bubbled over from laughter, "I am sure it won't be that bad."

Diego just took a sip from his juice, while he hung on her bar, causing Victoria turning into a serious mood by Diego's silence. "Do you think that all those people really come?"  
>Diego nodded earnestly.<p>

"How many?"

"As far as I know, five families from Europe are coming, but I am not sure if their children will come along and if so, how many children there are in each family. Further many other people may come along. I am not certain which number that might be, but they have friends in or near Los Angeles. It is possible that five of the families that are coming don't have relatives. And of them I don't know if they will bring their children either."

"That is not nothing," Victoria agreed, now sharing Diego's concern.

"No," Diego confirmed soberly.

"Hey," Victoria had an idea, "This isn't my busiest time of the year, so they can stay here if they don't mind."

"Really Victoria," Diego started protesting, "I can't ask you to take care after them. You will be too occupied. I know father already asked you to help Maria with cooking and serving the guests."

Victoria felt flattered by his obvious concern for her. "I may find some more help then." She didn't worry too much about a problem that didn't exist. "Let them stay here, Diego. When exactly will they arrive and for how long?"

"I don't really know. Father said that some may stay a few weeks or perhaps a month."

"When will you know?" Victoria asked interestedly. She knew that don Alejandro's birthday would be good for her business, though she didn't want to abuse their friends for it.

"I will ask father this afternoon," Diego promised.

"That's alright," Victoria replied and decided to refill Diego's glass. Then he took her gently by her wrist, startling her by his rapid gesture, but his hold on her was so steady that she didn't drop the pitcher.  
>"Victoria, promise me to tell me when it is too busy for you. I don't want you to overdo yourself."<p>

Victoria got warm by his concern. He had always been so protective on her, but this time it felt different.  
>"I will," she barely whispered.<p>

Diego smiled warmly at her in approval while he took the pitcher out of her hands to put it on the bar. Then he brought her wrist to his lips and kissed her palm.  
>"I must go now," he whispered, intensively gazing in her brown eyes, melting her heart. "See you tonight."<p>

~Z~

During dinnertime the De la Vegas entered the taberna. Victoria served them and decided to take a break, herself. So she took another plate for herself with the order for her friends and joined them with dinner.  
>"So, how are things with the celebration, don Alejandro?"<p>

A big smile appeared on the elder De la Vega's face showing how much he enjoyed the prospect of having such a celebration. "I am almost finished arranging everything," the old man replied satisfied. "Next month everybody will be present."

"Diego told me a few guests may stay in Los Angeles for a while," Victoria mentioned, hoping to find out whether she needed to reserve rooms.  
>With a smile she glanced into Diego's direction.<p>

"That is right," don Alejandro was beaming even more now. "He told me about your offer to have some guests here. And I think it is an excellent thought, however, I don't wish to burden you with my guests," don Alejandro said slightly frowning.

"I told your son that is no trouble at all, didn't I, Diego?" Victoria turned to her friend again, who already felt somewhat shut out.

"Yes, you did," Diego confirmed and added quickly, "...and you also promised to ask me for help when it is too much for you."

With bright brown eyes she nodded, "True," before turning to the elder de la Vega, "You know don Alejandro," she glanced sideways at Diego, "Your son can be so sweet, when he wants to. Sometimes I cannot understand why no lovely señorita has ever been able to capture him and keep him at her side forever by marriage."  
>At her comment Diego couldn't help blushing in front of her and looked aside shyly, but when she continued about marriage, he recovered, looking at her with an expression saying "You should know" on his face.<p>

"I know, Victoria, I feel the same," don Alejandro admitted in the same teasing way.

"Son, I hope that tomorrow, you will be as sweet as you are now, since several pretty senoritas will arrive with our guests. Be a gentleman, Diego!" A warning tone in his father's excited voice alerted Diego.

Sensing the old fox was up to something new, Diego sighed deeply, "Father, as far as I know, I have always acted like one to your guests."

"Yes, I know son, but I would love to hear you announcing your wedding one of these days," don Alejandro says bluntly.

Diego's eyes grew large, while Victoria held her fork a few inches from her mouth which was already open to receive her delicious dinner. Frozen, she watched Diego and noticed his friendly indolent smile turn into a hard stare at his father.  
>"You're not going to arrange my marriage, are you?" he asked moodily.<p>

"No son, you will have a month to find a lovely señorita. I am sure you will find a nice wife among them."  
>Don Alejandro still sounded patient, but his eyes were telling a different story.<p>

"Father," Diego started protesting.

"No son," don Alejandro warned in a stern, but low voice, "I want you to be married before I die."

Diego stared betrayed at his father, thinking of a way out of this. At the same time, he felt like having been kicked in his ego. How could father talk to me like this in front of Victoria?  
>He dared to glance in Victoria's direction. Not for support but to see how she reacted to his father's new idea.<p>

Victoria felt embarrassed this conversation, since it was a very personal matter being displayed so publicly.  
>She sensed her other customers were hardly aware of what was being discussed at her table between the most important men of the pueblo. She behaved like she didn't hear it, hoping that she wouldn't be asked for her opinion. Despite of this slight fear she remained seated. After all, this was not the first disagreement between father and son she was faced with.<p>

Innocently, though a bit embarrassed she glanced through her lashes at Diego, who looked at her at the same time.  
><em>"What are his eyes saying? This is Not a cry for support."<em> She figured he acted too nervous for that. Somehow she thought she read something of an apology shining from his eyes.

Then he stood up.  
>"Victoria, my apologies, I just remembered that I have urgent business at the office. I will talk to you later about the party."<br>Then he turned to his father. "Father I would love to discuss this subject with you," he said quite confident, "but not here and not now."

Victoria didn't get a chance to say something to Diego, as don Alejandro cut in, irritated, "si, Diego walk away."

Angrier he continued while Diego stepped from behind the bench still facing his father with tempered anger, "Don't trouble yourself with my anniversary, I will inform Victoria."

Outraged don Alejandro stared at his son and warned him sternly, "Make sure you are home within an hour. We will discuss this subject TONIGHT."

Diego closed his eyes and sighted almost invisible. With a steady glare he met his father's raging, stormy eyes. "I will," he stated as if he was in for a fight. Victoria remembered her friend's behaviour when sir Thackery had terrorized the pueblo and had insulted her. Before that day, she had never seen Diego being so angry.

"Buenos noches, Victoria," Diego said as warm as possible.  
>She sent him an understanding smile and a look like she was saying "Good luck," as she wished him a good night too.<p>

Don Alejandro sighed deeply when he watched Diego leaving the taberna, "Oh what am I to do with him?"

Victoria avoided eye-contact and focused on her last few bites in vain. "Victoria, what have I done wrong? Why can't he give me the pleasure of seeing grandchildren grow up?"  
>Victoria laid down her silver ware and raised her head, while thinking about his question and feelings, but of Diego's as well.<br>Thoughtful she faced her old friend. "I think you are a good father, don Alejandro."

"Thank you, Victoria," this compliment obviously calmed his nerves.

Victoria thought quickly about his friend's behaviour and shared her thoughts with his father, "I don't think he acts like this, because you do him wrong… No, that is not like Diego. He is proud of you."

"But why doesn't he want to marry?"

"He acts like he doesn't want to marry, but I doubt that," Victoria disagreed trying to find the real reason. She was sure of it. She had seen Diego's behaviour after his father announced Diego had to choose a girl from his guests and get married, which obviously showed his disapproval of an arranged marriage. There must have been a reason for that!

"I … eh…," she tried to capture her thoughts. "What if ….No, what would he do, don Alejandro, if you gave him the condition that he only had to be married on paper and that you told him that you wouldn't care about how he gets his heir, even if it wasn't by blood?" She raised her eyebrow to underline her statement, "What do you think he would say to that?"

Don Alejandro was shocked over her suggestion and with large eyes he inspected her face, "Tell me you are joking!"

"How will your son react to that? Would he agree, if you suggested that? Victoria insisted, ignoring how improper she must have acted in front of her old friend right now.  
>With a deep frown on his forehead, don Alejandro tried to imagine what his son would do. He had to admit it to himself, that he just didn't know. Expectantly, Victoria watched the thoughts of the caballero running over his features.<p>

"What do you think?" the man reversed the question.

Victoria shrugged her shoulders, whereas she still didn't want to get too much involved with this delicate subject, but these men had helped her so many times in the past, that she hardly couldn't turn them down when they asked her for help. "Ask him."  
>She faced the man right in his eyes, to let it all sink in and added, "After all, he promised to talk about the subject tonight."<br>At this last remark Victoria stood up to return to her work.  
>"Good night Felipe," she greeted the silent, almost grown up boy with a smile, "make sure I will see both of them at my taberna tomorrow."<p>

With a faint smile he wished her a good evening as well and said that he couldn't make such a promise. With a worried look he stared after her as she disappeared in her kitchen.  
>Don Alejandro interrupted his thought as he suddenly laid his two hands upon the table and stood up to go home.<p>

~Z~


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews, it has been some stimuli to continue writing and learning about using . I am sorry for the headaches. I hope you won't have them now I have changed the format. So to all please keep reviewing, even if you don't agree with the things I do. Then there is always an opportunity to grow. As for the comments of the contents, yes there will come some nice parts with the señoritas, but I am afraid, I haven't worked it out very well. If you have suggestions, please feel free to email me about your ideas. Anyway, I won't keep you from the story now. Hope you enjoy this part._

~Z~

Part 2

To don Alejandro's amazement, Diego was already sitting in the sala, waiting for his father to come home. Diego laid his book down in an attempt to let his father know he was ready for the lecture he surely would get. The air was pretty tense as both men looked at each other, expecting the other to bring up the subject.  
>Diego was pretty annoyed making him the first to spit out his frustration. "Tell me father, you weren't serious about me announcing my wedding on your birthday, were you?"<p>

"Indeed I was, son," don Alejandro retorted angrily. "And I still am!"

Diego clenched his teeth as his mind raced for the solution of this problem. He didn't want to lose Victoria.

"Diego, you know how much I want grandchildren. Come to think of children, at your age I already had a son. You were six years old, then. So, don't you think it is about time to get married and make sure you have an heir?"

"Must I be forced into a marriage, then?" Diego asked insulted. "You have no idea…."

"No Diego, I don't want to hear your excuses anymore," don Alejandro interrupted harshly, but Diego tried to make him listen and raised his voice as well. "I will have an heir! Have you forgotten that I intend to adopt Felipe?"

"No, I haven't. I know we haven't discussed this further, then."

"So then, there is no problem," Diego insisted.

"That is absolutely out of the question, Diego!"

"What?" Diego questioned his father's attempt to stand in the way of something he wanted to do for so long, but recently had announced.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to adopt Felipe."

"Why not? I have always been like a father to him, so what would be the problem then?"

"This still wouldn't have solved the problem of having grandbabies." Don Alejandro couldn't understand why Diego was being so difficult, normally he accepted his father's wishes, but this time … no … now his son was showing he had some backbone. _Where did that come from?_

"Oh yeah, right, because of this little thing I can't adopt Felipe and give you a grandson." Diego got ironic by his father torturing him with this interrogation.

"Indeed it is, but there is something else as well."

"Oh really father?"

Sounding a bit calmer by knowing that this was another key to lock the doors of his son's escape route and to push him into marriage, don Alejandro revealed a little but important detail. "Years ago, I changed my will in case something would happen to you before I passed away. Sailing to Europe and back again is still a risk one takes. Besides, there were some huge changes of politics when I asked you to return home. He had already lost a home and I didn't want him to lose another as well. Therefore, I have given him some rights to guarantee he will have a good life on a piece of our land. I even had opened an account on his name, which will be given free to him after I am dead. So, partly I had already adopted him to give him some security in life."

"You never told me about the will." Diego felt a bit insulted as his father used to tell him everything.

"You were still in Madrid, son! The change of politics made it necessary. Now, how about those grandchildren, son?"

Diego looked defeated. How he wanted to tell his father about his plans and dreams. But this was not the right moment. His father was way too angry to be reasonable, nor was he. However he had to assure his father that he was working on something, maybe his father would spare him slightly and changed his mind to give him some more time to work this out.  
>"Father, honestly I <span>do<span> want to have children, there is only one difficulty …."

"Yes Diego, that difficulty is that you don't court any nice marriageable women. Now tell me Diego, doesn't even the poorest woman of Los Angeles approve of you?"

"I never cared for class difference, and you know that, maybe you would, but I don't!"  
>Diego's voice was filled with venom as he stared back at his father's accusative glares. His father really didn't want to understand him and that was upsetting Diego even more. Nor did his father believe that he truly wanted to have children, which was obvious by the incredulous look on the elder man's face. Worse, he longed to have them, with Victoria of course.<p>

Don Alejandro really got tired of Diego's excuses and assuring him that he was taking care of having children somehow and questioned how honest his pleas of not arranging his marriage were and decided to play one of his last trumps.  
>"What would you do, if … and I am not saying you have to do this, heaven forbid, but if I were serious, which I am not, what would you do, if I asked you to get married, only on paper and your wife made sure you had an heir, whatever it would take her to have a child?<p>

Diego's eyes grew large in astonishment and his mouth fell open. After five seconds he was able to voice again, "Do you hear what you are saying father?"

"Yes I do son," don Alejandro retorted angrily, but at the same time deep in his heart it pleased him to see his son's reaction to this preposterous proposal, but he wanted an absolute confirmation. "Now what would you do?"

"Con Dios, I wouldn't marry," Diego replied between gritted teeth. How could his father even suggest a thing like this, let alone expected him to accept it? At the same time Diego moved his hand through his black, shiny hair. Then, he faced his father sternly and continued, "I have seen how happy you were with mother, so why would **_I_**want to marry on rational grounds? Maybe to get rid of your nagging me and leave the unmarried state? No, I won't! As I was trying to explain …."

"Enough, Diego!" don Alejandro cut in after having let his son ramble a bit more, "I don't want to hear any excuse of yours. Make sure you won't disappoint me this time! There will come plenty pretty, young señorita's to find one suitable."

"Really, Diego, this time you will allow me to be perfectly proud of you. By the end of next month you will be married."

Diego sensed the discussion was over, but he wouldn't allow himself to be pushed into the corner.  
>"And what if I don't find one suitable?"<p>

"That is out of the question. You will! And grandchildren I will have." Don Alejandro didn't like to be spoken against by his son, even though he happened to have grown up. He should know how far he could go, and now he definitely had crossed the borders; a son should obey his father.

"Or else?" Diego challenged bitterly between clenched teeth hating to find a way out of this "non-existing" problem.

"Else," don Alejandro repeated, while saving time to think of a fitting threat, "I want you to leave the hacienda, forever."

"What?" Diego screamed not having expected to hear this consequence of not pleasuring his father. "You can't be serious, father."

"Oh yes I am, I am done with your disappointing attitude."

Diego got so furious that he decided to leave the room, whereas he was afraid of losing his temper and would attack his father. What good would that do? Or he might tell his father that he was Zorro and that he wanted to marry Victoria, have children, but the alcalde still stood in his way. His father wouldn't even believe him if he told his father everything. He had to admit his own pride stood in the way too. He would not use the fact he had been lying about everything for so many years right now to make his father understand why he never wanted to end his bachelor life. The danger his father would be in then, was still too mach.

So much for nothing! No, Diego didn't think it wise to share his secret with his father now. It would only be a coward's action to escape his fate. He started this creation, so now he had to pay for the consequences. He should have told his father earlier about his secret then. At the same time he understood his father's frustration over this, but Diego thought his father should have told him about his plan when he started inviting their family, then Diego could have been able to explain that he is not interested in those señoritas and why.

Don Alejandro stared at his son's sudden retreating form and was tempted to call him a coward, but he was too angry to do so. Anyway, if his son didn't leave the room, he surely would have. He felt truly disappointed in their conversation and now he only hoped that Diego wouldn't embarrass him in front of his friends by not choosing a woman at all. Why did he have to be so stubborn? He couldn't understand why Diego still refused to see that a woman completes a man's life.

"Wait a minute," don Alejandro mused out loud as he paced the room to calm his ruffled nerves, "Diego was quite disgusted with the idea of getting married on paper and ordering his wife to get pregnant without his assistance."  
>A little spark of hope filled his body. He thought back of his conversation with Diego and had to admit that Victoria saw his son through. She saw it so clearly, why else would she suggest proposing this insane offer to his son?<br>Yes this idea truly offended Diego. It even made him angrier than he already was. This left some thinking. Don Alejandro had never seen his son so outraged before. Apparently, Diego had some passion in his soul. He felt glad that earlier his son was the wiser and left the taberna instead of exploding right there in front of the whole pueblo.

_~Z~_

In the meantime Diego rode on Esperanza to the beach. He needed to be alone, to have room to think. As usual he rode to the beach when he was upset over things. The sound of the waves breaking on the shores had always calmed his agitated state of mind. This time it only took more time to be able to think rational again. On his way over the rough area to the beach his father's threat still remained repeating in his head. _Else I want you to leave the hacienda!_  
><em>By the end of next month you will be married.<em>

"So little time! What about Victoria? I don't want to give up on her! Should I tell her about me being her hero?"  
>"Hello Victoria, here is your <em>hero<em>, marry me right here and right now, if you want to spend the rest of your life with your _hero_!"  
>"Oh yes, she surely will accept my hand in marriage immediately. Marrying her best friend, who had always been lying and deceiving her! Surely she will be terribly happy bringing flowers to her husband's grave year in and year out. Our esteemed alcalde will absolutely allow his fiend to live on the life with one of the most silent citizens of Los Angeles." Diego sounded very sarcastic because of his tantrum.<p>

How could his father do this to him? Why didn't he want to see it? He must have slipped so many times. He was still amazed nobody had ever seen him through, not even Victoria. If only she had. Things would probably have been quite different. She probably had rejected him and he would have had to go on with his life. Or she might have found a way for them to come up with a solution and live happily ever after.

But that was all "what if". It didn't really matter, because Diego was determined to go on and make the best of his life, but if it could have been under other circumstances he would surely have welcomed it with open arms. But still he had no idea how to approach this problem. It made him feel so powerless and being out of control of things. This felt completely like the contrary of Zorro's victories. It seemed like someone had taken away the base his whole life depended on.

"Yes some hero," he thought mockingly.  
><em>"This time you will make me proud son!" <em>Another sentence coming out of his father's mouth echoed in Diego's ears.

"Father you should know!" Diego shouted angrily and despaired over the empty beach. Nothing but these words lingering in the air and the sea took those words away into the deep darkness above the big blue ocean. Today everything seemed black. The clear sky with its millions of white twinkling stars was the only exception of the colourless world.

Desperate Diego fell on his back into the sand. What should he do? He got so tired from frustration and thinking that his mind went blank. There was only the sound of the sea meeting the shores of the Californian coast. Some seabirds were searching for food and when one of them had found something, another bird hurried over.  
>Numb, Diego watched the birds jumping upon the sand and picking in it to get to their preys, but soon he lost interest and tried to focus on something else. Everywhere Diego looked the only tints he noticed were black or white. His shirt accented his dark blue pants, which looked like black now. The white sand on the beach was having its contrast with the black sea and the dark colourlessness of bushes at the side of the pueblo. Further there was only the blackness of his problems; there was nothing and everything like the black and white of this clear night.<p>

New moon. Maybe there was some light in the darkness concerning his troubles. And the only thing there was, was silence. Silence, a magic word. The word almost meant "nothing".  
>A soft breeze took Diego's sorrows away into this calming silence, giving some peace to his soul. That was what Diego experiences; balance of his soul with nature. Some balance, or piece, he had always fought for. Unconsciously, he knew that there was no silence, no balance and no peace, when he left this state of trance, his union with nature.<p>

It could not be prevented. Diego almost jumped when some birds were making so much noise while they were fighting over a bit of food. Having opened his eyes, Diego thought his fight with his father was of no importance. What was marriage compared to having no food!

He still had a month to find an escape and even then. His father wanted him to be engaged to be married. This big day would be in two months. Maybe the time had come to tell Victoria about his secret life. Or he should try and court her himself. Whatever he chose then he really had to be cautious or else the alcalde would find out as well. Just maybe, the alcalde would never find out. He was so possessed by wanting to capture Zorro that he was blinded to see what was under his noose all the time. Winning Victoria's heart by hanging around to escape all those women would make it more believable that Victoria could fall in love with him, because they had spent so much time together. People may think it logical that he wanted to marry her because of her understanding toward his feelings.

Diego started feeling a bit more relaxed now he had found a surrogate solution. He would try and court Victoria by himself, if he didn't want to lose Victoria forever. No he wouldn't let that happen, not by such unreasonable thing as this!

_And what…._ Diego's heart was beating in his throat, _what if I don't succeed in time? _  
>Diego took a deep breath. Calmness claimed his tensed muscles. Time would tell, it always did. Despite of his father's outburst, Diego didn't really believe that the old man would throw him out.<p>

Then Diego got back on his feet and inhaled deeply, realising he felt so much better now. So easily he rode back to the hacienda which was like a harbour all seamen longed to go to after having had a long and exhausting journey.  
>In the dark and quiet hacienda Diego moved on tiptoe to his room in which he found a short and restless night.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Sweating, Diego woke up. Whole night he had been reliving last evening in his dreams. Every time the dream started all over again, the dream changed and got worse. Finally it ended up in a complete lifelike nightmare, while there seemed to be no connection with the happenings of the day before.

However, under the surface there was one similarity; he would never be able to marry Victoria. He felt like hiding away from this powerless feeling. All his dreams made him feel that he was having no control over his life anymore. His life was lived by nature and his choices were made by everybody but the young caballero himself. Even Victoria had decided in his dream that he had to marry the ugliest and youngest señorita among their guests.

Distressed and a bit upset over his father's attitude, Diego quickly got washed, pulled on his favourite blue suit and decided to have his breakfast in town. He didn't look forward to hearing more encouraging words from his father about his courtship. At the same time he wanted to have some confirmation of Victoria. He wanted to know whether she would be able to love Diego de la Vega as well as Zorro. He was not going to ask her straight to the point though, therefore her acting as a good friend would just do. Diego couldn't believe she would behave any differently, and so he knew that simply seeing her would warm his frozen heart and calm his nerves. He had never felt so haunted before.

On his way to the stables he almost ran into his father. "Son, where are you going?" the old caballero asked obviously not having lost his impatience with his son.  
>Ironically, while he was still walking, Diego replied as blunt as his father had approached him, "to the pueblo, hunting for a wife."<p>

Don Alejandro couldn't laugh at this and sternly he remarked, "Be back before lunch. All our guests will be here at one."

Diego rolled his eyes when he was on his way out and called over his shoulder that he would.

While riding to the pueblo, Diego felt an increasing need to apologising to Victoria for everything. For the fact that he hadn't been able to marry her earlier, for the fact that he started courting her as Zorro, and so he came to the point that he really wanted to make excuses for his father's action and therefore for all the trouble those señoritas surely were about cause. He should have said something before this all started. He should have told Victoria who he really was. Even now Diego was determined not to tell her, she should love him for who he really was; the poetic scientist **and** the hero.

Because of his anger toward his father, but above all towards himself, the ride to the pueblo seemed very short. Way too soon he arrived at the pueblo, with the large beautiful taberna centrally located at the plaza as other buildings, where money had to roll.  
>Diego passed the blacksmith just before he reached his destiny. On his way from the gates to the centre of the pueblo he greeted some passengers, while doing so he noticed that it lightened his mood a bit.<p>

Sergeant Mendoza and a few of his men met Diego as they returned to the cuartel after having had their breakfast. "Buenos diás, don Diego," the sergeant greeted cheerful. "But isn't this a bit too early for you?" he asked concerned not being used to seeing him around eight in the morning.

Diego had to smile at the sergeant's observation. "Business, sergeant, they always need to be done early. You know what they say about the early bird, huh?"

"They catch the early worm," Diego finished patiently in a soft voice, when the good sergeant observed him in wonder.

Mendoza wrinkled his nose, "Nah, I don't want a worm. If I were you, I would ask señorita Escalante for her huevos rancheros, they were absolutely delicious this morning!"

Diego had a good laugh at the sergeant's easy-going manners and stepped over the taberna's threshold. "I will sergeant," Diego called over his shoulder. At this gesture Mendoza and his men headed back to the cuartel.

The taberna was empty. Even Victoria was not present in the taproom, so Diego walked over to a table to calm his nerves. He was very occupied with the idea of courting Victoria, but the most attention went out to the question **how** he should court her.  
>He was so deep in thought that he jumped up when Victoria greeted him after entering the taproom. Just after putting one step into the taproom she noticed him being far away.<p>

"You're rather early, Diego."

Then she noticed the bewildered look on his face. "You must have a bad conscious. Now tell me what is keeping you so distracted?"  
>She looked at him with the sweetest smile, causing her friend look away. Then Victoria got serious, remembering the struggle with his father the night before, "it is about your father, isn't it?"<p>

Hearing these words he automatically faced her. He didn't want to tell her everything now, so he told her that it was not the case. "We know where we stand."  
>She just stood there facing him, silently supporting him to go on with the story. She absolutely didn't believe that nothing had happened. Not after suggesting don Alejandro to propose a fake marriage.<p>

After a short hesitation her friend added, "I think."

"And where would that be?" Victoria sensed that there is more than Diego was telling her.

Diego just sighed.

"You will have to court a señorita, won't you," she concluded understandingly with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Soberly, Diego looked her in the eyes. "Si, it seems I will have to."

Victoria got silent and some cold air streamed through the room, chilling her body. Still she thought it being an odd prospect; Diego being married, him having a wife and children.

"It's not that I don't want to be married, but I don't want to be forced to!" Diego suddenly admitted to Victoria's surprise.

"Are you still in love with the woman of whom you told me once?"

The question was so sudden that Diego was quite taken aback by it and averted his eyes, "What would be the point?"

"Why can't you tell your father? He may understand you then."

"Why would he, hmmm?" Diego asked impatient, while his feathers start getting ruffled. "You were there when he told me how to live my life."

Victoria was a bit pleased to see she was having such a reaction to her friend. Despite of him trying to prevent it, he was really opening up to her.

"The only thing father would do then, will be supporting me badly to court her," Diego continued.

"It just makes me wonder why you wouldn't give it a try," she cautiously suggested and noticed his incredulous stare for just one second and faced his hands again. "I am serious Diego, you are kind, intelligent and rather handsome. So, if you do your best, you may be romantic as well."

This statement made Diego look up to her again and studied her features a bit longer now, before he innocently he averted his eyes, "if that is your opinion … do you think I could beat Zorro if I wanted to court you?"

He faced her again to see her reaction to his unsaid intention. Now, she was the silent one, while she was studying his face._ He can't be serious!_

His expression was blank and expectantly until he set an answer. Victoria wondered whether he was serious or not. If so, how would she feel about that?

"Why Diego," she started stammering, "you are my best friend … what would your father say about that?"

Diego cut in, "what are you talking about, why would father say anything about that?"

"Well, I … I am … I am nothing like those fancy señoritas your father invited."

"Is that all? Are you worrying about class differences? Victoria, he wouldn't even mind if I get married to the poorest woman of the world."

"He must have been very hopeless."

Victoria noticed her friend's desperateness and was taken aback by his statement.

Diego silently agreed with Victoria's observation. Now his father really felt at a loss with him. "Honestly," Diego continued, "I think he never really cared about whom I married, as long as it was for love, but that must have changed for some reason."

"So what are you going to do?" Victoria asked curious.

"Court a woman, I think," Diego replied ironically, but truthful, however added seriously, "Nay, Victoria, I don't know how I am going to solve this slight problem. All I know is that I don't want to marry a woman, because my father wants me to."

Victoria looked thoughtful while she tried to hide her restlessness. She still couldn't see him being married. Her life would change a lot, she concluded last night. Having a wife, he surely wouldn't be so brotherly close to her anymore. She would have to accept that. As for now, he needed help and she would give it to him, like he had helped her many times in the past. While Victoria was pondering for a way to assist her friend, the young man next to her was just sitting next to her, hopeless. However knowing that there was a way to get out of this bad dream and prevent it becoming the worst nightmare he had ever had.

Suddenly Victoria had an idea, and got Diego out of his misery. "If you need help to conquer a woman's heart, just let me know." She had to help him find the right woman. She would help him! He absolutely has the right to be happy. In her enthusiasm she didn't hear his gratefulness.

"Gracias Victoria you're too kind." As an afterthought he thought, _"but you can't help me the way I want to be helped."_ This was such a great opportunity and Diego let it fall right between his hands. It was not that Diego was so clumsy, but the thing was, he still couldn't find the courage to ask Victoria for her hand. He had made such a mess of his life and he couldn't tell anyone or ask somebody for advice.

"I didn't come here to ask you for such help," Diego politely changed the conversation into another direction. "I came to discuss the party." Diego's voice sounded lightly as he spook, making Victoria believe that he would be all right. She also remembered his promise now.

"Or did my father settle everything?"

Victoria avoided viewing contact, but faced him directly when she started to speak. "Eh, no, we hadn't talked about that anymore. Didn't he tell you?"

"We didn't talk much last night," Diego confessed sadly and cheered up by having found a way to forget his sorrows by helping Victoria.

Victoria understood that Diego didn't want to say any more on the subject and accepted his change of conversation.  
>"Right," she agreed with a warm smile and fetched her notebook.<p>

Diego remained seated to gather his thoughts together. _This is just business!_  
>Together they made a list of things Victoria needed to have in her taberna and of the things, which needed to be done before the families were arriving. In the meantime Alicia and Pilar had entered the taberna and took care of the customers who dropped in every now and then.<p>

After Diego and Victoria had made a plan, Victoria asked Alicia and Pilar to join them. Victoria definitely would need some more help for the next month. Alicia told Victoria that her younger sister would surely like to help them. Pilar's cousin had been in town since a month. Her husband had died during a battle in the south of Mexico. Immediately after hearing the news the young widow drove off and went to where she was born, here in Los Angeles. The broken hearted woman had been looking for a job after arriving in the small pueblo, but still she hadn't found one. To help the family and to contribute in the costs she helped the family with the cattle. She even helped making clothes for the market. Still it may not be enough for the family to keep their head above the water.

Today it would be a very busy day, so Victoria really needed some more help not only for today, but also for the coming month while the families were staying in town.

"Pilar, you will have to get your cousin at once. Today all rooms need to be repaired and you and I cannot do that all by ourselves."

"No problem, I'll be on my way at once." At that Pilar left the taberna to fetch her cousin. Victoria turned to Alicia to give her some other instructions. "Alicia I want you to take care of the kitchen and taproom today."

"No problem," Alicia agreed. She was glad that her employer had great confidence in her.

"If you need me, I will be upstairs to make a start with cleaning the rooms." Victoria called after Alicia who headed to the kitchen. It is nearly lunchtime.

Before Victoria was able to get her tasks done, Diego touched Victoria's shoulder asking her for attention.  
>"What is it, Diego?" she asks hurriedly.<p>

To Diego it became clear this month would be a stressful one for Victoria. She seemed so hectic right now, as if she had lost control. He knew this was definitely not the case, whereas they had only two hours to get things ready.  
>"Relax, we'll get everything ready Victoria," he soothed, "else we can escort the families straight to the hacienda."<p>

Victoria sighed visibly as she relaxed a bit under his tender look.  
>"For now I have to leave you alone for only half an hour to get everything from the hacienda we put on the list. Will you be all right then?"<p>

"You will need more than half an hour, so you'd better rush," Victoria contradicted, while asking herself whether he had lost his mind already by the prospect of getting married.

"Why let a beautiful woman wait when it can be done in a whistle?" Diego gave her his Zorro wink and added softly "hasta luego, señorita."

"Hasta luego," Victoria replied confused, while she stared at his retreating back._ He definitely has lost his mind._ At the same time he was rather charmed at his way of contradicting her and wondered whether he would really be back as quickly as he made her believe. A call from Alicia made her go back to her duties.

_-Z-_

As promised, thirty minutes later Diego reappeared with everything they put on the list. He had even brought Felipe with him to help unloading the cart and to help serving the customers later on.

Diego decided to help Victoria preparing the rooms. He knew it is far from his job, men just didn't do such things, and therefore one may not agree at all, but he insisted upon preparing some rooms himself. While he was doing his job, Victoria checked him a few times and had to correct him. "Oh Diego, you really have to put those sheets tighter around the mattress. Like this!"

Diego looked a bit confused at the bed. He thought he really did well, although he had to admit that the sheets on his own bed at the hacienda were looking tighter than he just proceeded. He scratched behind his ear. "Well, I'll try harder on the next bed."

His intention was rewarded with a bright smile. Victoria appreciated his help. Despite of correcting him a few times, his help saved her a lot of time. "Oh you don't, let's do this together."

With open doors they were making up the beds to make sure they didn't cross the bounds of etiquettes. They were having a good time though.  
>When they were done, Diego's opinion of Victoria had increased. It was not just a piece of cake cleaning up the rooms and making sure that new guests had a nice place for the night.<br>Despite the hard work, Diego really enjoyed getting instructions from Victoria, especially now. She was a good distraction for his problems, but at the same time their friendship was able to deepen.

Content, Victoria smiled at her caballero friend. The taberna was ready and they could receive the guests. It had been a long time since so many caballeros and their wives had visited the pueblo at the same time.

"Thank you, Diego, for helping me." Victoria was sure the taberna could never have looked so good without the help she had.

"Oh well it was nothing," Diego stammered a bit in contradiction and faced her with an intently look. "I should thank you for helping us out! Without your taberna and your excellent services we wouldn't know where to have our guest staying."

"Oh nonsense," Victoria retorted. Her reply faded when she noticed the time, "shouldn't you go home to get dressed more elegantly?"

Diego's face fell, not looking forward to the prospect of playing another role instead of living the life he really wanted to live, "I guess you are right."  
>He laid a hand upon her shoulder, "call for me when you need help."<p>

With a warm smile she thanked him again for his offer, while her heart missed a heartbeat by his obvious concern. Diego mounted his horse elegantly and saluted a goodbye for now.  
>She greeted back and watched him leaving, while some worry washed over her. It was odd, but true, but some jealousy tinkled in her body. Somehow she was sure that Diego cared less about all those señoritas invading his father's hacienda. She had carefully listened to him when he spread out his thoughts to her. Some determinedness was glowing from her friend during those speeches.<p>

It reminded her of something she had seen before, but when? Wait a minute, it reminded her of that time when Zephira was at the hacienda and confessing she was still in love with Diego, hoping he felt the same. In fact he told the woman he didn't. Yes, that was the moment, when she noticed this firmness before. Diego was fairly determined, when he told this woman, and later confessed to herself, that he was in love with another woman. When she asked him about this mysterious lady, he was not about to reveal her anything.

This truly was something to admire in a person, and even more in Diego, who was known as a weak-willed man, lacking any backbone.  
>Now, she questioned herself again with whom Diego could still be in love with. She really couldn't tell, but she could tell, she completely understood why he was showing her quite some character of which she had never given him credit for having it. Somehow she was convinced he wouldn't give up his dreams. Why else would he have been waiting for her, this mysterious woman, all this time? It made her wonder. <em>Why is this woman so special to him?<em> _And why is he still pining for her after all this time?_ It seemed a hopeless case to her, but apparently not to Diego?

Still, there was something missing. _Why doesn't Diego tell his father what is on his mind?_  
>This worried her even more. Don Alejandro could be very stubborn and now to her it was obvious that her friend truly inherited the famous De la Vega temper. So, if Diego refused to tell his father about the feelings he still had for this mysterious señorita, then she feared for the outcome. A bomb might explode in the beautiful hacienda.<p>

"This may never happen, or else the Escalantes wouldn't be true friends to the De la Vega's!" Victoria vowed and watched the sky, "Pappa, mamma, you will be proud of me!"  
>Yes, she definitely would honour her family name and help the friends her parents always admired.<br>Then a falling pan brought Victoria back to her duties and returned to her establishment to give her employees some more instructions.


	4. Chapter 4

****_Here is another long awaited chapter. It took me some time to get these new character right and made it fit into my story. I hope you like them. Let me know if you do, but also if you don't. It's all about learning._

**Part 4**

Diego had just changed into some more fancy clothing when the first carriage arrived at the hacienda, which was soon to be followed by several other carriages.  
>Don Alejandro got warned by Miguel and hastened to the door, "Diego, Diego!"<p>

When there wasn't a response, don Alejandro grumbled to himself,_ "oh where is that boy now? I hope for his sake he will be here within five minutes…"_  
>When he opened the front doors, he heard his son calling for him. Impatiently he reacted, "Diego, get over here immediately, our guests are here."<p>

Don Alejandro kept walking outside and walked over to the first carriage, which had arrived.  
>"Hola, don Longoria how nice to see you again. I hope you had a good journey." the haciendado greeted his old friend with a warm embrace, which was returned as friendly.<p>

When don Alejandro had let the other man go to welcome the rest of his family, he noticed his son just standing a few feet behind him watching the whole scene as if the postman was passing through the pueblo leaving no message or visitor behind.  
>"Oh Diego, don't be so rude and get over here to get acquainted with my friends. You can also help the señoritas to the ground." Don Alejandro was already annoyed with his stubborn son and inwardly sighed hoping this hint to what was about to come.<p>

Diego obediently walked over, followed by Felipe. "Buenos tardes señor, I hope you had a pleasant journey."  
>"Gracias," the short round man, rounder than sergeant Mendoza turned around to introduce his wife out of the carriage, he had just helped her out of the carriage before his old friend had come to give him a warm welcome.<p>

"This is my wife and here come my two daughters Adonicia and Lalinda." The caballero introduced the daughters to the hosts, who obviously have been instructed how to act to don Diego. Diego almost got nauseous by their batting eyelashes and sweet over complimenting the house and the looks of the gentlemen.

Diego thought these women still young stupid girls and whished he could run off by taking their suitcases into the hacienda, but his father got him trapped. "Diego, why don't you escort the señoritas to courtyard for some refreshment, I am sure everybody wants to stretch their legs before retreating to their rooms got get ready for our formal dinner. Señora, may I show you the way to our beautiful garden."

"Why not, father," Diego answered trying hard to leave his disgust out of his tone of voice and offered the young women his arm, while he heard his father offering his arm to the mother, "Señora, may I show you the way to our beautiful garden. Don Longoria, if you don't mind of course."

"Of course not," the don replied amiably, "it has been too long since we have seen you and you know my wife has always been fond of you."  
>Don Alejandro nodded to his friend with a large smile and continued to his friends wife, "Doña Maria, I am afraid the garden isn't as beautiful as I would have loved, you know my Elena spent hours and hours gardening in it, she really had a talent for gardening."<p>

"Yes she sure had, but don Alejandro, don't be too harsh on yourself, I am sure it will be as beautiful as if doña Elena had done it herself."  
>At that don Alejandro took the woman with her husband towards the garden.<br>Diego had no choice but to obey his father's instructions and follow his father and friend don Longoria with two young señoritas hanging at his arms.

Every time their vaquero Juan announced another family arrived or don Alejandro noticed his friends arriving himself the conversation seemed to repeat themselves. Sometimes Diego heard the wife mentioning how much he had grown, having knowing him as a young boy or a teenager who had looked as thin as a rake. Now he really looked gorgeous. Mostly this reply by the mother made her daughter or daughters giggle, making Diego doubt he had met such girls when he was studying in Madrid. He probably was too nervous himself, when he met the señoritas of the higher class he hadn't noticed how annoying this behaviour was. He realised he indeed had grown up, becoming a mature man who seriously wanted to marry a sensible woman with whom he could share he dreams and hopes, but also his sorrows. And only Victoria could be that woman. She knew what life really was like. He sighed deeply when he was on his way to the door after his father called for him to welcome the last family.  
><em>Madre de Dios, here we go again.<em>

With a shrieking voice doña Manzanares called out to Diego with wide open arms, "Come here boy, let me have a look at you!"  
>Felipe shuffled his feet in embarrassment.<p>

"Oh Diego, my boy, look how you have grown, if I had been younger or without my Sergio I would have shot all my arrows at you. Eliza, look here, this is don Diego I have been telling you about, practically all your life. Now what do you think of him? Doesn't he look delicious."

Diego swallowed hard when he was face with this pompous and very fake looking woman. Her make up was so wrong and then her dressing. He had no doubt the shy young woman next to her was feeling terribly embarrassed and understood why she hardly dared to have a look at him, the man of whom her mother was talking.  
>"Of course mother," she politely answered, but Diego heard some boringness underlying. "He must work a lot on the ranch, so he surely must have grown, but I am sure he wouldn't be put on a tray decorated with a variety of exotic fruit after dinner."<p>

A small smile appeared on Diego's face noticing her intelligence, but also her own willpower.  
>"Don Diego," the mother continued as if she hadn't heard her daughter's hidden protest, "don't you think my daughter being a rare beauty like a pearl on a Caribbean beach?"<br>"Don Diego," Eliza suddenly cut Diego's reply off, "would you be so kind to show me the way to some refreshment, I'd die in this heat and it has been some time since I had had something to drink."

"Allow me," Diego gallantly offered his arm understanding the hint to get away from the pushing mother.  
>When they were out of earshot, the señorita sighed, "My apologies for my mother's behaviour, she is desperate to have me married to a wealthy man with a title or influence. She can be very headstrong, when she had found one suitable for me. I am afraid you are her next prey, though right now I am glad she got you trapped and I am out of her reach for a couple of minutes."<p>

Diego was astonished at her openness. With a boyish grin he asked her, "And you are not looking for a rich man?"  
>"Señor, I am looking for a sensible man. If he is rich and handsome it would be nice, but most of all I want to be respected by him, but most of all, there should be love and that takes time to find it. I just hope I haven't offended you."<br>Diego had to grin even more, "not at all, señorita. I am glad you feel that way and I doubt I will find any sensible woman like you in this house next week or longer." The last statement was mixed with a deep sigh at

"Aren't you looking for a wife then?"  
>"To be honest," Diego watched her closely, "not by this way."<p>

Then they arrived at the garden, where everybody was still getting acquainted with each other. When the last arrived family had a drink, don Alejandro asked everybody's attention to welcome everybody again, "My dear friends, welcome in my humble home. I see you all have got a drink after your long journey. Some of you brought only two servants with you, some have more. Feel free to ask my household for whatever you need and they will serve. We haven't had so many visitors for a long time, so be patient with them. The work on the ranch also has to continue, since we are close to the harvest and some horse are in need of special care at the moment."

"Well, about your rooms, since we don't have enough rooms, I am asking some of you to go to the pueblo and stay in our taverna for the time being. You will have everything there too, but if you only want to stay for the night, you can come anytime at our hacienda. We will have some programs for entertainment during your stay and of course you are free to go wherever you want to go."  
>"So, about the stay itself, I will name the families who will stay in the taverna at the pueblo. My son will escort you there. The rest will be shown their rooms."<p>

Immediately after don Alejandro had told who was going to go to the taverna and who would be staying in the hacienda, the garden was filled with noise of giving orders to servants and complaints from the mothers to their husbands, who were going to the taverna.

The next hours the instalment of the families in the hacienda took place, while an uptight sphere lingered in the air. The servants had a very responsible duty to keep their masters satisfied causing them to run to and fro until everything was done. The masters had no idea they caused so much stress by giving them orders about everything and nothing in particular although the servants knew the routines by heart. Thus the command put a spoke in the servants' wheels.  
>Diego and Felipe shared the same feeling. Incredulously they watched the high activity at the hacienda from some distance. If this is setting the next month, it surely will cause a tremendous row.<p>

"Time for a drink, don't you think, Felipe," Diego sighed under his breath for only Felipe's ears to hear.  
>With a sceptic look in Felipe's eyes, he agreed, sending out the message, "how will we survive?"<p>

"Indeed, a good question," Diego responded with a frown, while his eyes followed his father hastening to the door whereas another family had just arrived.  
>At that Felipe went to the kitchen to arrange a very needed break, where his amazement at women only increased. There he became certain, the hacienda had turned into a hen house. When he found Maria at the kitchen, whom he asked for tea, coffee and some other refreshments, he noticed that her spirits were the same as Diego's.<p>

"Well, well, well, Felipe," wisps of grey hair danced around her face as she feverishly shook her head, "who would ever thought this house turning into a theatre as it is now. I am sure you must be happy to be dismissed for a couple of minutes."  
>With a mischief grin he slowly nodded in answer.<br>"I hope master Diego will be able to handle all these cats," the woman mumbled more to herself than to Felipe. "Maybe I should ask the maids to help him a little."

Felipe had to hide his smile behind his shoulder, when he partly turned away to pick an apple. He would have never guessed this woman having such bad thoughts toward the master's guests.  
>Diego shortly after arrived at the kitchen and noticed Felipe and Maria sharing a certain look at each other.<br>"Don Diego," Maria handed him a fresh juice finding an excuse to end her conversation with Felipe.

"Gracias," Diego answered and enjoyed the silence of the kitchen.  
>After this short break, Diego and Felipe headed back to the library where they found some of the hacienda's tranquillity. The guests who would be escorted to the pueblo had already arrived there to wait for their carriage to arrive. The other guests had moved to the guestrooms to get installed there.<p>

Don Alejandro showed up at his son's side, "Well, I think everything will be arranged by the evening. Diego, why don't you go with these people to the pueblo. Stay there until everyone is ready to return. You look splendid, so don't worry about your attire, you can wear them during dinner."  
>Diego knew everything was said and done.<p>

Z


End file.
